Knife sharpener



Jan. 17, 1933. w, BLANKNER 1,894,579

KNIFE SHARPENER Original FiledJah. 12, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 mrvmmrw.

Zlwuentoz Jan. 17, 1933. wtBLANKNER 1,894,579

KNIFE SHARPENER .2 Sheets$heet 2 Original Filed Jan. 12, 1928 Patented Jan. 17, 1933 UNITED STATES WILLIAM BLANKNER, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO KNIFE SHARPENER Application filed January 12, 1928, Serial No. 246,174. Renewed March 11, 1932.

This invention relates to sharpening devices and more particularly to a device adapted to sharpen the-cutting edge of knives or other articles of cutlery irrespective of the bevel or taper of the edges.

An object of the present invention is to provide a device of the character referred to which is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, and exceptionally efiicient in operation. 7

The device embodying the present invention is a decided improvement over that disclosed in my pending application Serial N 0. 175,680, filed March 16, 1927, although the principle and, in general, the operationis the same, the present device being designed to afford better service, provide better results, and function somewhat automatically to thereby eliminate the necessity for skill on the part of the operator.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for changing the angular relative position of the abrading elements to accommodate knives andthe like, having various bevelled ortapered cutting edges and simultaneously maintain the angle between the elements equally positioned; upon opposite sides ofa-line extending vertically from the apex or intersection of the abrading elements, thereby maintaining the device in proper condition to receive the knife forsharpening in substantially a vertical position.

Another object of the invention is the pro vision. of meanswhereby the point of intersection of the abrading elements can be varied to thereby utilize the entire surfaces of the abrading elements. Y

With the objects above indicated and other objects hereinafter explained inview, my in- 4 vention consists in the construction and com bination of elements hereinafter described and claimed. .Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevationalview ofa device embodying my invention; i

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same; Fig. 3 is a transversesectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective View of one of the ,abrading element supporting members.

. In the drawings, 10 represents a base adapted to support the operating parts of the sharpening device and is preferably formed of. a metal stamping of substantially. U-shape having laterally extending feet or members 11 with apertures 12 to receive screws for suitably securing the device to any desired support.

At the rear portion of the base 10 is a.

housing or casing 13 formed of a metal stamping of U-shape for a purpose to be later explained. The lower or free ends of the casing 13 are bolted at 14 to the end of a channel shaped member 15 preferably formed of. a metal stamping and having its flanges extending downwardly so as to provide a smooth upper surface. The casing 13 and the member 15 are pivotally connected at 16 to the upwardly extending ears 17 of a. bracket suitably secured to the rear portion of the base 10'. The channel memberv 15 extends forwardly substantially horizontally with the base 10 and at the forward end of the latter. extends upwardly. to provide a. free end 18 substantially at right angles to the base 10,'the purpose of which will be hereinafter more specifically described.

At the forward end of the base 10is a member 19' secured thereto and provided with a pair of upwardly extending ears or guides 20 positioned upon opposite sides of the channel member 15 to thereby direct the latter in its movement about the pivot 16.

' The abrading elements 21 and 22 are provided-in groups, two in each group being here shown, although any number of ele- 'ments may be employed, and one group is in alternate staggered relation with respect to the other group and overlap'to provide a di verging opening at the'upper portion of the abrading elements which are adapted to receive the knife or other implement to be sharpened. p

The groups of elements 21 and 22 are each supported independently by supporting brackets 23 and 24, respectively, of substantially the same construction so that a descrip tion of one will sufiice. The supporting brackets are provided with extensions 25 which have their free ends bent outwardly at 9 26 at right angles thereto to provide abutments for the lower ends of the abrading elements, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. Near the lower ends of the extensions 25 are integral ears 27 forming clips to receive and retain the abrading elements in proper position and secured to the abutments 26 are flat springs 28 extending upwardly and resiliently engaging the lower ends of the abrading elements.

The upper ends of the abrading elements are held in proper position by clips 29 either formed integral with the supporting brackets or attached thereto. Flat resilient springs 30 have their lower ends attached to the brackets between the clips 29 while their upper ends are free and adapted to be engaged by the abrading elements to provide a resilient abutment therefor.

The bracket 23 is further provided with a pair of rearwardly extending ears 31 formed ntegral with the lower end which have aligned openings to receive a rod or pin 32 the ends of which are pivotally supported in a U-shaped bracket 33 secured to the upper surface of the channel member 15. The abrading elements 21 can therefore be angularly adjusted about the pin 32 to the angle of the cutting edge of the knife, and inasmuch as the bevels or tapers of the cutting edges of the knives vary, depending upon the purpose for which they are used, this feature is important.

To retain the abrading elements 21 in the desired angular position, corresponding to the bevel of the cutting edge of the knife, or to adjust the surfaces of the abrading ele- -ments 21 to correspond with the bevel of the cutting edge of the knife, a lever 34 is pivotl all connected at 35 to an. extension 36 pro- ,vi ed upon the rear portion of the bracket 23, as shown in Fig. 1, and the lever is provided with notches 37 which are adapted to engage the free end 18 of the channel memher 15. These notches are predeterminately positioned and when in engagement with the end 18 maintain the angle of the abrading elements 21 to correspond with the bevel of the cutting edge of the knife to be sharpened.

G0 The lever 34 is normally held downwardly by a spring 38 having one end attached there- .to and the other end attached to the base 10.

i The bracket 24 which supports the abradelements 22 is disposed at any suitable '6 angle predeterminately selected to suit the conditions of the device and is maintained ,in such position by a pair of substantially horizontal rods 39 and 40 secured to the bracket at the upper and lower port-ions Ihereof, respectively. The rods are slidably .mmnted in the vertical portions of a member 41, which is preferably a. Ushaped metal strap, disposed transversely in the casing 13,

as clearly shown in Fig. 1. The top of the 1 U strap is riveted to the top of the casing 13 while the lower ends are bent outwardly to provide extensions which are riveted to the channel member 15. This arrangement affords an efiicient bearing for the rods and at the same time is very inexpensive to con- 7 struct.

The free ends of the rods 39 and 40 are connected together by a plate 42 bolted to the former and the bracket 24 is normally urged toward the bracket 23 by a spring 43 which has one end attached to the strap 41 while the opposite end is connected to a member 44. This latter member has one or more notches 45 adapted to engage extensions 46 on the plate 42 to'thereby vary the tension of the so spring 43 and consequently the pressure between the abrading elements 21 and 22 on the knife to be sharpened. As a knife, therefore, is inserted between the abrading elements 21 and 22 it can readily be sharpened; by movement transverse to the abrading elements and at the same time moved in a vertical plane, due to the fact that the abrading elements 22 are permit-ted to IIIOXe horizontally. The time required for the sharp- 00 ening operation can be lessened by increasing the tension of the spring 43 aspreviously explained. Y

It will be noted that the angular position of the abrading elements 22 is substantially l's fixed, while the angular position of the abrading elements 21 is variable, as has been previously explained.

It is preferable that the knife or other implement to be sharpened, be positioned be-' tween the abrading elements and that the knife be held in substantially a vertical position to thereby effect the provision of an even cutting edge. To adapt the device for I the reception of the knife during the sharpening operation and to permit the knife to be retainedin this vertical position, a means is provided whereby upon the changing of the angular relation of the working faces of the abrading elements 21, the channel member 15 and the elements carried thereby are moved about the pivot 16 thereby maintaining the angle between the abrading members 21 and 22 equally positioned upon the opposite sides of a given plane indicated at 47 extending perpendicular and bisecting the angle 'between the abradiug elements 21 and 22. This adjustment is preferably performed automatically with the changing of the angular, relationof the abrading elements 21 and in the present instance consists of a rearwardly extending arm 48 secured to the lower end of the bracket 23 and pivotally connected at 49 to 9. depending member 50 which extends. through a suitable opening in the channel member 15 and into engagement with the base 10, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. It will be seen, therefore, that assuming the elements to be in the relative position shown in Fig. 1, if the lever .34 is raised upwardly and the bracket 23 moved forwardly to change the angular position of the abrading elements 21, until the upper end of the portion 18 engages with the intermediate notch 37 on the lever, the plane 47 would not ordinarily bisect the angle between the faces of the abrading elements 21 and 22, but in view of the fact that the member'50 is raised upwardly slightly, the channel member 15 is permitted to be lowered and thus the angle between the working faces of the abrading elements 21 and 22 is bisected by'a plane extending perpendicular from the apex formed by the intersection of the abrading elements.

This arrangement has a particular advantage in that a person inserting a knife between the abrading elements to sharpen the former, would naturally endeavor to hold the knife with the blade in substantially a vertical position, and as a result this adjustment permits the bevelled edges of the knife to be engaged equally by the faces of the abrading elements. The resilient springs 30 permit the abrading elements to have a slight movement to thereby compensate for any disalignment of the knife with the abrading elements and also permit the abra-ding elements to adjust themselves to the bevel of the cutting edge of the knife.

It is preferable, of course, to utilize the entire working faces or as much of the surfaces of the abrading elements as is possible, especially before the abrading elements are reversed end for end, and in this connection the point of intersection of the abrading elements should be as high up as possible. The position of the intersecting point may be controlled by astop '51 which is provided with a suitable aperture through which the end of the rod 39 extends, as shown in Fig. 1. This stop 51 is slidably mounted within a guide member 52 bolted or otherwise secured to the top of the housing 13 and has an operating handle 53 for moving the stop 51 to any desired position. The stop 51 is provided with a lateral extension 5% adapted to cooperate with any one of a plurality of notches 55 provided in the guide member 52, as shown in Fig. 3, and when the lateral extension 54 is in engagement with any of the notches 55 the stop 51 is in predeterminec. position and limits the forward movement of the bracket 2'4 supporting the abrading elements 22. A coil spring 56 is disposed between the stop 51 and the plate .2 and encircles the rod 39 and serves the purpose of a resilient abutment. A coil spring 57 the stop 51 to maintain the extension 54 in engagement with any of the notches 55 and the spring is suitably housed within the guide member 52. If it is desired to remove the abrading elements 21 and 22, the extension 54 is moved rearwardly into engagement with the last notch 55 and the abrading elements 2'2 are separated to an inoperative position enga es one side of to such an extent that the removal of the abrading elements is made easy.

lVhile I have described a device embodving the invention, it is to be understood that I am not to be limited thereto as changes or modifications may be resorted to without de parting from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: I

1. In a sharpening device of the character described, abrading elements disposed in an gular relationship, means for adjusting the angular relation of the working faces of said abrading elements, and means whereby thangles between each of said working faces anc a given plane are equalized for the differ 11 positions of said abrading elements. 7

2. In a sharpening device of the character described, abrading elements disposed in angular relationship, and means for adjusting the angular relation of the working faces of said abrading elements and simultaneously maintaining the angles between each of said working faces and a given plane equaliz d for the different positions of said abrading elements.

3. In a sharpening device of the character described, abrading elements disposed in angular relationship, means for adjusting the angular relation of the working faces of said abrading elements and simultaneously maintaining the angles between each of said working faces and a given plane equalized for the different positions of said abrading elements, and means for varying the point of intersection of said working faces along said given plane.

l. In a sharpening device of tie character described, a-brading elements having their working faces extending at an-angle with respect to each other, means for resiliently supporting some of said elements, means for pivotally supporting other of said elements, and means for adjusting the angular relation of the working faces of said elements and simultaneously maintaining the angles between said working faces and a given plane equalized for the different positions of said elemen 5. In a sharpening device of the character described, abrading elements having their working faces extending at an angle with respect to each othe means for supporting some of said elements whereby the same are adapted to reciprocate, means for supporting other of said elements, and means for adjusting the angular relation of the working faces of said elements and simultaneously maintaining the angles between said working faces and a given plane equalized for the dlfierent positions of said elements.

6. Ina sharpening device of the character described, abrading elements disposed in angularrelationship, means for adjusting the angular relation of the working faces of said abrading elements, means whereby the angles between each of said working faces and a given plane are equalized for the different positions of said abrading elements, and means for locking said abrading elements in inoperative position.

7. In a sharpening device of the character described, a base, a member pivoted thereto, abrading elements disposed in angular relationship mounted upon said pivoted memher, and means for varying the angle be tween the working faces of said abrading elements and simultaneously maintaining the angle between each of said working faces and a given plane equalized for the different positions of said abrading elements.

8. In a sharpening device of the character described, a base, a member channel shaped in cross section pivoted to said base, abrading elements disposed in angular relationship and supported by said pivoted member, means for varying the angular relation between the working faces of said elements, and means whereby the angles between each of said working faces and a given plane are equalized for the different positions of said abrading elements.

9. In a sharpening device of the character described, a base, a member provided with a laterally extending end and pivoted to said base, abrading elements disposed in angular relationship associated with said pivoted member, means cooperating with the end of said pivoted member whereby the angular relation of the working faces of said abrading elements may be varied, and means whereby the angles between each of said working faces and a given plane are equalized for the dif ferent positions of said abrading elements.

10. In a sharpening device of the character described, a base, a member pivoted to said base and provided with a laterally extending end, abrading elements disposed in angular relationship supported by said pivoted memher, a member attached to said pivoted member, some of said elements being supported by said member and adapted to reciprocate, and means for adjusting the angular relation of the working faces of said abrading elements and simultaneously maintaining the angles between each of said working faces and a given plane equalized for the different positions of said abrading elements.

11. In a sharpening device of the character described, a base, a member pivoted to said base, abrading elements supported on said pivoted member, some of said elements being adapted to reciprocate while other of said elements are pivotally mounted thereon, means for normally urging said reciprocating elements towards the other of said elements, means for varying the angle between the working faces of said abrading elements, and means whereby the angles between each of said working faces and a given plane are equalized for the different positions of said abrading elements.

12. In a sharpening device of the character described, abrading elements disposed in angular relationship, means for adjusting the angular relation of the working faces of said abrading elements, and means for maintaining the point of intersection of said abrading elements at the upper portion thereof.

13. In a sharpening device of the character described, a base, a member pivotally mounted on said base, abrading elements disposed in angular relationship, means for pivotally supporting some of said abrading elements, means for supporting other of said abrading elements so that the same may reciprocate, flat resilient members disposed between said abrading elements and their respective supporting means, and means for varying the angle between the working faces of said abrading elements.

1 1. In a sharpening device of the character described, a base, a member pivoted to said base and provided with a laterally extending end, abrading elements supported in angular relationship, some of said elements being pivotally supported by said pivoted member, means cooperating with the free end of said pivoted member whereby the angular relation between the working faces of said abrading elements may be varied, and means for normally maintaining said last mentioned means in engagement with the free end of said pivoted member.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto afiix my signature.

WILLIAM BLANKNER. 

